Aleith|DM: Spring 10
Aleith|DM: It's a bit early than your usual start, but Asrabey did ask you to meet him at dawn this morning. He shows up with some breakfast, local this time, and more importantly, coffee.
Asrabey: "Good morning, constables. Have you had some luck with looking for Ekossigan yet?"Gerald‘ goes from sleeping to fully awake and alert without too much effort. Goes straight for the food when he turns up. "Mornin’."
Zane: "Yes and no."
Gerald: "'ep."Garrett‘ has to take a sip of coffee before speaking.
Garrett: "Well… he’s around."
Asrabey: "Sadly some of my contacts haven't seen Ekossigan yet, and I can't find several of my contacts in the Cloudwood. I suspect they've already fallen under the fey lord's sway…"Ernst glances up from his desk before going back to his paperwork.
Chandrasekhar: "We found a body."Zane has a sip of coffee and a bite of food. "Any orphanages in the Cloudwood?"Phyllis was, presumably, caught up on the details by now, right?
Gerald: "Oh, oh, ask him about the marking for whatever ritual that was."
Garrett: "And unfortunately, that means we need to find like twenty-odd other bodies, too."Garrett‘ filled Phyll in that evening.
Asrabey: "I couldn’t say about any orphanages in the mortal realm. What's this about ritual markings?"Zane leans back in his chair and puts his feet up on his desk, absently tossing a dagger. "Found a body. Young kid. Strangled. Nibbled by cats. Some sort of ritual markings on the corpse."
Asrabey: "Do you have a sketch of the markings?"Chandrasekhar describes the ritual markings. Probably using a lot of wacky Fey magic terms, because hey, Asrabey will know what he's talking about.Chandrasekhar probably also sketches them, yeah.
Aleith|DM: Phyllis, Ernst, Arcana checks?Phyllis rolled d20+20 and got 18 ( Total: 38.0 )
Aleith|DM: Asrabey shakes his head. "I can tell they're fey, but magic like this is not my specialty. I'm more…direct."Zane deadpans. "You don't say."
Phyllis: "It's a curse. A curse targetting not the child, but his family. Setting them on each other, eroding their trust in each other, paranoia, infighting."
Phyllis: "Like a branch of a tree that's given poison that flows to the trunk."
Asrabey: "And you mentioned an…orphanage? The child was from one?"Zane gestures at Garrett. "Sounded like?"
Garrett: "As much as any child is. Ekossigan stormed the whole place though, singling out the kid because they were 'too old.'"
Chandrasekhar: "I won't -ask- how you know that." He straightens up, frowns.
Phyllis: "If that's so, then … who would the ritual target? Did his parents give him up for adoption, or - what kin does he have left?"Asrabey also frowns. "That might make that more serious, then…"Gerald‘ shrugs towards Phyllis. "You’re the mage."
Garrett: "That's all we could get- had to spend time convincing the local precinct to even let us look at the body and case notes."
Asrabey: "If the child's parents are dead, how would you phrase who the child was raised by…?"
Gerald: "Yeah they were weirdly hostile towards us looking into this."
Chandrasekhar: "Does it follow -blood-, or… it could be targeting his fellow orphans, or caretakers at the orphanage. Making it easier for him to pick off whatever sacrifice he's looking for…" He shudders again.
Garrett: "And there's been no report of a whole missing orphanage, at least as of last night."
Garrett: "That I was able to speak to the spirit means that a whole day hadn't passed yet, so… yeah, everything's fresh."
Asrabey: "They were weirdly hostile towards you? And you work for the state, right?"
Gerald: "Yup."
[OOC] Aleith|DM: *could be said to work
Gerald: "We're like, one of the highest ranking authoritive figures actually."
Asrabey: "And the child could be said to be raised by the state, I believe you say?"Zane smiles faintly. "That… is amazingly subtle."Gerald‘ opens mouth, closes mouth.
Gerald: "…Wait would that seriously work?"Chandrasekhar blinks. Whistles.
Zane: "One sacrifice to turn our typical cooperativeness into petty squabbles… I refuse to believe the timing is a coincidince."
Asrabey: "This could become worse than that."
Gerald: "Magic is weird."
Asrabey: "This kind of thing builds up over time."
Asrabey: "You need to dispel that if you can."
Phyllis: "Obviously."
Garrett: "Hm. Yeah, while with some diplomacy we were able to sidestep the issue, but I’m sure the curse plus ongoing campaign is going to definitely crank it up in a hurry."
Zane: "It won't have time to get worse. I'm going to bleed Ekossigan like a stuck hog, he's interfering with my job."
Asrabey: "Killing Ekossigan will not necessarily dispel the curse."
Zane: "No, but it'll make me feel a lot better."
Zane: "Phyllis and Ernst can do the dispelling."
Chandrasekhar: "Saatvik jadata. The curse will linger. How do we break it?"
Asrabey: "I suppose they could try to remove the affliction."
Phyllis: "Still, does that actually bring us closer to finding him?"
Asrabey: "Were you able to set up an appointment with Gale?"Chandrasekhar nods. "Of course."
Chandrasekhar: "In the Cloudwood, later this morning. We should have time to examine the body again first, provided they're not -completely- intransigent."Zane frowns. Just faintly. "They won't be for long."
Asrabey: "Very well. Let us make haste."Garrett‘ hastily downs his coffee, getting a muffin to go.
Aleith|DM: It’s still a bit of a long carriage ride, as it's either navigating nightmare called the Nettles, or going around through North Shore before Parity Lake, but you get there eventually.
Aleith|DM: Looks like Sergeant Langlois isn't in yet this morning. Your little permission form from the Mayor seems to hold up fine with the officers on duty and they show you back to the boy's corpse in the morgue.Garrett‘ thanks the officers on duty before swiftly making for the morgue.
Aleith|DM: Alright. Remove Affliction takes an hour to cast, 250 gp, and a heal check. Who’s making it?
[OOC] Garrett: looks like it's up to gerald (NO DO NOT ROLL GERALD)
Aleith|DM: Well, I guess I can assume Ernst since it's in his spellbook…
[OOC] Zane: I'm on it chief…
Aleith|DM: Roll it versus a level 15 affliction. (-15 penalty to your check)
[OOC] Zane: holy fucking shitballs
[OOC] Garrett: uhh sec
[OOC] Aleith|DM: You can always choose not to complete the ritual after finding out the level of the affliction by the way
[OOC] Zane: d20-3 jesus christ D:
[OOC] Chandrasekhar: Is there any stupid Phyllis hacks that are appropriate haha
[OOC] Phyllis: for this particular ritual? nope
Aleith|DM: people that think they can make a DC 15 Heal check can try assisting for a +2 bonus, but failing gives a -1 penalty
[OOC] Zane: I'd only need to roll a 10 :'D
Ernst: "… I'm afraid this is beyond my skill level. There's a real possibility I could end up dead and then you'd have no one to defuse the train bomb."
Gerald: "Fair enough."
Zane: "Hm."
Garrett: "We should find Ekossigan on the double, then."
Gerald: "Gotta be more than one way of neutralizing it, yeah?"Asrabey nods. "Maybe something will turn up. We can always ask him before his execution."
Garrett: "It's not like I expect to find an assassin carrying an antidote on themselves, but I mean…"
Chandrasekhar: "Saatvik jadata's a fucker."Zane stops by the duty sergeants desk to write a letter. 'Need curse removed from child corpse, soonest. This address. Z. Beieto, DMW' And sends it to Harkover Lee.
Zane: "Alright, that should do the trick. Now then."
Phyllis: "In the meantime, we're meeting Gale, yes?"
Gerald: "I will do my best not to shoot her, as always. Still no absolutely guraentees though."
Garrett: "Yeah. Just keep it holstered."
Aleith|DM: Alright. You head out into the Cloudwood itself. Thankfully there's still some tracks to take your carriage on, so it doesn't take forever. You make it to your meeting spot with some time to spare without having done the ritual.Phyllis does, at least, take some time to cast Hunter's Blessing. If eyes can't see Ekossigan, maybe this can at least help.
Aleith|DM: You get out of the carriage. Looking around, you might not see her, but her voice comes from nearby as if she was standing right in front of you. (( Perception check if you want to look for her ))
Gale: "Good morning, constables. And a fine morning to you as well, Asrabey Varal." You feel as if she would be curtseying about now. "You have come asking about Ekossigan, yes?"
Garrett: "That's the one."
Zane: "Well aren't you little miss on-the-ball this morning."
Gale: "He's already approached me. The timing fits."Chandrasekhar is fine with her being all mysterious and unseen. They kind of /are/ on the wrong side of the law from each other, all things considered. "I am told he is taking refuge in the Cloudswood."Zane rolled d20+10 and got 19 ( Total: 29 ) for Its a matter of principle
Aleith|DM: She seems to be really well hidden.
Gale: "He is, though I don't know exactly where he's stationed himself."
Gerald: "What did he want."
Garrett: "His timing is even faster, as he's already making moves. He can't be continued to do so."
Gale: "He wanted my help. I agreed. And that had a more binding effect than I thought it would. I'm struggling not to report you searching for him as we speak."Gerald‘ sighs.
Gale: "He’s too powerful; please leave him alone."
Garrett: "That's a no-go."Asrabey grunts. "That's not what I came here for."
Gerald: "Sometimes you make it REALLY DIFFICULT to restain oneself from putting a bullet between your eyes, Gale."Zane makes 'shut up' gestures at his friends.Gerald‘ grumbles under his breath.Chandrasekhar takes a very slow and deliberate breath.
Zane: "Of course we will. it would be amazing useful if you told us where he was, so we’d know where not to go to avoid running into him."
Gale: "Ekossigan plans to go through the Bleak Gate with a small army of fey to strike at the forces I saw there before. Please, just let him go and assault the place."
Phyllis: "Hold on. If they're the same forces I'm thinking of -"Zane rubs his chin. "Tempting… But alas, he murdered a child, now I have to eat his liver."Phyllis turns to Asrabey and Chandra. "Remind me why you want to take him in, again?"Gerald‘ blinks twice, turns to face Zane.You hear Gale sigh. "He has, has he? I fear that’s not the last of it before he's done."
Zane: "The best part is you're not sure if I'm being literal, yes."
Asrabey: "I don't want to take him in. I want to execute him."
Chandrasekhar: "We don't have to take him /in/. We just have to take him /out/."
Phyllis: "Fair enough. But what's his purpose? We know what he's done, but do we know for what cause?"
Gale: "He desperately wants to destroy whatever it is that shadowy group is working on in the Bleak Gate."Zane frowns, tapping his chin. "I thought he was a part of that group."
Chandrasekhar: "Mmm, no. He… feels the Court acts too cautiously, to my understanding."
Gale: "He hates the rapid pace of technology's advancement. More strongly than most of the Unseen Court, it seems."
Chandrasekhar: "The enemy of our enemy is not necessarily our friend."
Gale: "So what is it to be? Are you going to let him be? Or am I going to have to stop you?"
Zane: "Definitely going to let him be."Zane is so full of shit his eyes are brown.
Aleith|DM: Bluff check?Zane rolled d20+13 and got 12 ( Total: 25 )
Gerald: "Uugh fine I won't kill anyone. Until we find the dwarves. Or the other assholes. Or the other assholes."
Phyllis: "Not sure."
Gale: "Alright."Chandrasekhar keeps his mouth the hell shut.
Aleith|DM: Asrabey growls but doesn't say anything.
Zane: "OK since we're not killing each other everybody get back in the carriage now."Garrett‘ turns on his heel and heads off.
Aleith|DM: Alright. What now?Zane gives the trees a small bow. "A pleasure as always."Zane looks at the others as soon as he’s back in the carriage. "We are killing the *shit* out of Ekigossian. I just don't want to climb over her body to do it."
Ernst: "And here I thought you had a change of heart."
Gerald: "To be fair it seems like it might be uh,"
Gerald: "Sort of useful to let him act as a shock trooper, go in and take the blunt of their attack first, then sweep in and kill both him and their giant golem…"
Zane: "Ernst I don't have a heart. Just a cold calculating engine made of gears and abacus beads. If we kill her we lose a valuable resource and Ekossigan gets a measure of ouw strong we are." "
Gerald: "Just sayin'."
Chandrasekhar: "Don't say things to one of us that you don't mean, as a rule of thumb." He chuckles. "Don't worry, Zane, if she tries any funny business, I'll protect you~."Zane smiles at Singh. "I'll lie my ass off to you and yours as long as I think I can get away with it."
Ernst: "That said, you should really get that pledge, bond, whatever the hell it is looked at with her. Unless you literally meant kill and not 'take them in' as that may break it. Otherwise she'd likely be obligated to try and break him out?"
Phyllis: "I believe the proper term is 'geas.'"Ernst nods to Phyllis. "Thank you."
Garrett: "Eko's a special case."
Chandrasekhar: "Ugh, I can't believe she actually agreed to help him. She had to have known… ugh. Idiot."Gerald‘ turns to Chandra, places his hand on his shoulder while looking him in the eye.
Gerald: "Are you seriously just now realizing she’s a fucking dangerous imbecile?"
Zane: "Whats that thing you always say, Singh? 'Mystic fey bullshit'?"
Garrett: "Sadly, her chances of ending up clad in gold just raised."
Zane: "My only problem with waiting and letting Ekigossian go hit the enemy forces first… is I don't know how many more bodies he's going to pile up in the meantime."Chandrasekhar looks up at Gerald, makes a strangly frustrated noise. "Bad water must be sent back to the river. She's spent too long too far from home."
Gerald: "Around here we tend to set it on fire and run it through tubes to filter the bad out." Long pause. "I'm actually not sure what that's a metaphore for."
Gerald: "Prison? That probably works."
Garrett: "That sounds a lot like 'shooting a gun.'"Gerald‘ rolls a shrug then glances back at Zane. "…Hm that’s a good point, and his curse'll probably get more and more annoying the longer it's in effect, too."
Zane: "That should be getting handled."
Ernst: "We have a common enemy, but that doesn't change the fact that the citizens come first."
Gerald: "Hmm."Zane leans back against the coach bench. "Yeah, I just said that. OK who's got friends in the Cloudwood?"
Gerald: "Right, police tactics, not mercenary ones.
Gerald: "Not me."
Phyllis: "Can he be persuaded to a less extreme course of action?"
Gerald: "After pissing off the invisible asshole council? Unlikely."
Asrabey: "My Cloudwood friends cannot be found."Asrabey just gives Gerald a Look.Gerald‘ glances towards Chandra and Asrabey for confirmation on that one.Garrett` pauses, turns to Chandrasekhar. "Hey, didn’t you say you helped a guy campaign in the Cloudswood…?"
Zane: "Which brings me to my next point. Asrabey, you're out. I'm not willing to risk Ekogissian rolling you."
Chandrasekhar: "Campaigned against Idylls and lost, yes."
Asrabey: "No. My allegiance is to the Court as a whole, and he's been removed. Just in case, I, too, have one of those rings." He holds it up with a bit of distate, the ring with gears turning within. "I need to see it through."
Zane: "Alright, on your own throat then if it goes wrong."
Gerald: "Huh."
Garrett: "He might be more familiar with the district, so we can try to get ahead of the local police?"
Gerald: "Can I see that? It's cool."
Garrett: "Admittedly… we do have our plate full."
Asrabey: "If you're pursuing other leads at this time, I will head off. I'll be in touch for when you have something to work with." He gives Chandrasekhar a heads up on how to contact him.Zane rubs his face and exhales noisily. "Blood and scales, there is too much happening right now."
Aleith|DM: Alright. Back to the task force. You have 40 officers to start with. Care to call in some more favours, Phyllis?
Phyllis: Have we reached a milestone since yesterday?
Aleith|DM: It refreshes with an extended rest, too
Aleith|DM: Which you have had.
Phyllis: Oh! Well then.Phyllis rolled 2#d20+22(1) and got 7 ( Total: 29.0 ) for [Suggestion], with her familiar assistingAlso rolled 2#d20+22(2) and got 3 [Total: 25.0 (Low), Avg: 3.00]Total: 54.0, Avg: 5.00
[OOC] Phyllis: … It's DC 30 isn't it.
Aleith|DM: Well, Chandra, how's your Diplomacy for assisting?
Phyllis: Oh! [Glib Tongue] also! For another +5.
Aleith|DM: haha
Aleith|DM: okay you're good
Aleith|DM: +50 officers
[OOC] Zane: aw yea, 90 bodies
Aleith|DM: You still have 3 strongholds, the Theatre, and one possible Sting in Bosum Strand.
Aleith|DM: You're back by around 12 so you can each go on at least 1 mission, possibly 2 depending on when you want to think about heading to Golden Point for tonight.Zane looks at his map. "Hmmm. Garret, Ernst, Gerald… You're breaking Casa de Kell today. Take half the men. Bring me back good news." [3 PCs and 45 officers should overmatch 22 defenders, for no roll penalties]
Gerald: "I forget, do we still need Kell alive?"
Phyllis: "Yes, we need to question him."
Zane: "Yes, but he's on the platter for another day."Gerald‘ salutes. "Okay, shootin’ for maximum pain then."
Phyllis: "Have you given any consideration to countering the cannons at Machete Hill?"Zane smiles. "Asks the lady that specializes in illusion magic? Why no, Phyllis, your incredible tactical utility against those cannons had completely escaped my mental inventory…"
Phyllis: "If, say, one could teleport to a cannon and commandeer it, not just nullifying it, but gaining it?"Garrett‘ chuckles. "You are incredibly sassy today."
Aleith|DM: Alright. Roll Intimidate, no penalty.Phyllis rolled d20+20 and got 8 ( Total: 28.0 ) for [Spook]
Aleith|DM: Alright. They surrender, but while you’re heading in…
Aleith|DM: Garrett, Thievery?Garrett‘ rolled 1d20+19 and got 20 ( Total: 39 ) for thievery
[OOC] Phyllis: Oh wait I’m at the other one aren't I
Aleith|DM: …yes.
[OOC] Garrett: we can keep my thievery roll though right <3
Aleith|DM: yeah sure
[OOC] Phyllis: and use mine at Hill hahaZane rolled d20+15 and got 4 ( Total: 19 ) for Intimdidate at the mansion
[OOC] Zane: *foams at the mouth*
Aleith|DM: Okay, the traps don't slow you down, but they were just pretending to surrender.
Aleith|DM: They take out 22 of your officers, or you can take some of that as 3d6 damage to one of you guys per officer.
[OOC] Zane: fucking hell that's over half of my remaning non-requisitioned forces haha. Uh. shit, I'll eat 12d6 to save four guys I guess.Aleith|DM rolled 12d6 and got 6, 5, 3, 5, 1, 3, 6, 5, 5, 3, 1, 2 ( Total: 45 )Gerald‘ rolled 5d6 and got 3, 6, 2, 5, 4 ( Total: 20 ) for half the remaining
Aleith|DM: that’s not half the remainingAleith|DM rolled 10d6+20 and got 3, 3, 6, 3, 4, 3, 6, 4, 1, 4 ( Total: 57.0 )
Aleith|DM: That's half the remaining
Aleith|DM: actually no that's only 5
Aleith|DM: so still 13 officersAleith|DM rolled 9d6 and got 4, 4, 2, 6, 4, 5, 5, 4, 6 ( Total: 40 ) for GarrettZane burns 3 healing surges, saves 4 more dudes.Aleith|DM rolled 12d6 and got 4, 3, 5, 5, 4, 4, 5, 4, 3, 4, 2, 5 ( Total: 48 ) for ZaneGarrett‘ spends two surges, saves another 3.Aleith|DM rolled 9d6 and got 3, 1, 2, 5, 6, 2, 6, 5, 5 ( Total: 35 ) for GarrettGerald` rolled 9d6 and got 6, 4, 5, 2, 5, 2, 6, 3, 6 ( Total: 39 ) for last three I guess
Aleith|DM: Sure.
Aleith|DM: Alright. No officers down, and they cheer your efforts. They’re okay with dealing with all the paperwork, too, Gerald!
Aleith|DM: 1 Strike earned!Gerald‘ lets out a cheer while digging bullets out of his arm.Garrett` exhales. That was tough, dealing with traps -and- the sneak attack. He’s walking it off, and snacks on a chopped steak sandwich for lunch.
Aleith|DM: Alright. Machete Hill?
Phyllis: Approximately how many cannons were there again? Just curious.
Aleith|DM: Several
Aleith|DM: There's one or two per building, it looks like
Phyllis: And we have … The half of the party that can teleport.
Aleith|DM: Yes.
Aleith|DM: I don't think the cannons go swimmingly for them.
[OOC] Phyllis: Arcane Gate], [Tether], and [Fey Step].Zane is not an incompetent general despite what Sugar says. ;_;
Phyllis: Well, do you want me to roll Intimidate again or are you okay with that 28 from earlier?
[OOC] Garrett: "no plan survives contact with the enemy"
Aleith|DM: Nope I'm okay with the 28
Aleith|DM: You didn't lose 2d6 guys from the cannons pre-Intimidate, so no penalty, not that a -5 would have hurt a 28 anyway.
Aleith|DM: They surrender without putting up much fight with you dealing with the cannons so quickly.
Aleith|DM: Another Strike earned!
Aleith|DM: By the way, a couple things happen. Contacts in Parity Lake mention that morale seems to be dropping after taking over both of those strongholds, and the presence at the Theatre of Scoundrels appears to have lessened.
Aleith|DM: One of those contacts also mentions that Kell has left orders and has gone 'hunting' and didn't say when he would be back.
Aleith|DM: A courier shows up early in the evening with a package. They contain a pair of shoes of reliable style and a letter from Morgan Cippiano.
Aleith|DM: 'I have men in your organization that tell me Lorcan Kell is priority one. I have men in Kell’s organization who can deliver him to you. Meet me at the Brave Hall fashion show, corner of Yearling and Healers in Central this evening or tomorrow, and we can make a deal.'
Zane: "Well. Aint that a kick in the berries."
Gerald: "Hm?"Phyllis almost crushes the note in her hand as she reads it.
Zane: "The local Family kingpin is offering to serve us up his rival. Which will conveinently create a power vaccuum he's almost certainly already set to fill."
Gerald: "Oh."
Gerald: "Well hey, you wanted to know who was gunna scoop it up anyway, didn't you?"
Zane: "Mm. Not the ideal outcome, but I can always kill him later."Zane pats Phyllis' shoulder.Phyllis brushes him off, just scowling.Chandrasekhar growls under his breath…
Phyllis: "Do we bother taking his help? I'd rather not be beholden to a kingpin."
Chandrasekhar: "Do we -need- his help?"
Gerald: "I said the same thing about Gale and you made me not shoot her."
Zane: "I'll go. That way it's on me. I'd like one of you for backup, but its probably not required."
Gerald: "I'll go, he'll probably feed us again!"Chandrasekhar will trust Zane's judgement on this, all things considered. "Worst case scenario, he'll think he can work with us, and we'll sting him the first chance we get…?Chandrasekhar REALLY sounds like he's trying to convince himself, though.
Garrett: "At least listen, see if he drops any hints without us having to commit."Zane grins at Singh. "'Because it is my nature.'"
Gerald: "Unless I should be getting a nest set up at the docks…? Don't remember when exactly they were coming in but I figure we got time for some food."
Zane: "We should have time for this, and still be able to get to the docks."
Gerald: "Awesome."
Aleith|DM: You didn't have a specific time or berth, just a rough location for 'tonight'.
[OOC] Zane: hopefully Klim can narrow it down
Aleith|DM: Hmmm. That's a good point.
Aleith|DM: I'll get back to you after your meeting.
[OOC] Zane: sweet
Aleith|DM: So, Brave Hall. It's a stodgy gentleman's club for aristicratic families, though they've started allowing men and women with newly-acquired fortunes in on a provisional basis.
Aleith|DM: Everyon is in coats and top hats, drinking brandy and smoking cigars as they watch handsome young men and waifish women parade about in unorthodox fashion like seersucker suits, denim pants, and a huge variety of sashes.Gerald‘ leans towards Zane, whisping loudly, "Hope none of these open up when we’re in there… imagine the stares if we bleed on the carpet."
Zane: "Bandages are the new 'in' look. Just pass 'em off as sashes, and you're golden."
Gerald: "Oho."
Aleith|DM: You definitely get more than a few offended sniffs and disbelieving stares as you are shown over to Mr. Cippiano.
Morgan: "Thank you for coming so promptly, constables. Though I wish you'd have put at least a little effort in dressing up." He takes another look at you. "Rough day, huh? Let's head out to a balcony."
Gerald: "In my defense, I thought we were goin' back to the cafe again."Gerald‘ follows him out.Phyllis conjures up a [Mage Hand] for the sole purpose of making a rude gesture to match her dour expression.
Zane: "I’ll dress nice when I'm not busy breaking the current thieves guild and getting ready to offer you my cities underbelly on a platter."Phyllis may not actually be here nevermind
Morgan: "I already had an appointment here, so it was convenient."
Zane: "Mm. So, are we tapdancing around this for a while or are we getting straight to business?"
Gerald: "Yeah we got a boat full of dwarven cultist to arrest and or arrest after this."
Morgan: "Alright, gentlemen. My offer is simple: my man in Kell's guild will give the crime boss an excuse to leave his hiding spot - likely a fake meeting with Kell's contact with that…group…he's working with. A man named 'Norm'. Yes, I have some inkling of his involvement with a larger group, but I damn well hope you know more about them, because I can't find much of anything."Gerald‘ nods.
Zane: "Mmhmm."
Morgan: "He’ll report back the route Kell will take, and it will be up to you to take him down. I recommend enlisting some locals to be ready to protest or riot in order to cut off certain roads and funnel Kell where you want him to go."
Morgan: "I suggest one of the bridges along the Stanfield Canal, where Kell won't be able to slip down alleys to escape."
Morgan: "And I know you expect this, so I have a few conditions for my end of the deal:"
Morgan: "First, a moratorium on murder investigations in Parity Lake, at least for a few weeks. It’s dirty business, but this city deserves a better class of criminal. If my people don’t cull the ranks of Kell’s thugs, there’ll just be another round of street wars in a few years."
Zane: "Absolutely not. If you want to be a better class of criminal, start by cleaning up your messes."Morgan holds up a hand. "I'd like to list them all first before you make up your mind. Not that it will make it any better to swallow, I'm sure. Second, a prisoner release. As you know, my 'Family" originates in Crisillyir. Though I don't like to get involved in politics, I promised a relative that I'd help out a family friend if I could. That friend is one Giovanni Algardi. "
Gerald: "I mean, you break their legs and leave 'em on the street they'll get picked up and neither one of our sides has to make a big deal of it."
Morgan: "I'd want him released and teleported to Alais Primos, the capital, before I could give you the route for the meeting."Zane stares.
Morgan: "Lastly, I want to know if you made any sort of deal with Ashima-Shimtu a few months ago."
Gerald: "…Who?"
Gerald: "Name doesn't ring any bells."
Morgan: "Pretend all you like, but word travels fast when people land on cursed islands."
Zane: "He probably legitimately doesn't remember her name. So let me get this straight. You want The Carver released and you want free reign to drown Parity Lake in its own blood?"Gerald‘ frowns. "Not pretending. Wait cursed island?"Gerald` thinks… "Oh the thing with the priestess lady?"
Morgan: "Just the blood of Kell’s men."
Morgan: "Mostly lieutenants and the like."
Morgan: "You don't have to give an answer now. If you feel like you can accomplish this on your own, all the more power to you."Zane shakes his head. "I'm sorry, I am not going to hand you Kells empire on a platter plus a hunting license plus arrange the release of a self-confessed murderer."
Zane: "I do have a counter offer though."Morgan shrugs. "Let me know if you change your mind. I can contact me by leaving word at that 'cafe' if you like."
Morgan: "I can give you the location of the Quital family estate. One of the only things I have been able to find out about that group, the…Obscurati, was it? Leone Quital seems to be the head of operations here, and his family's estate is a bit northeast of Vendricce. That one's on the house."
Morgan: "I'm afraid the offer's non-negotiable though. You're welcome to offer, however."
Gerald: "I'd probably steer clear of the Ob, by the by. They're getting into some Real Bad, reality threatening shit."
Morgan: "I do like my reality as it currently is. That's some good advice. Thank you."Zane shrugs. "If its non-negotiable, I won't waste my breath or your time. These terms are not even remotely acceptable. I do appreciate the tip about the Quital estate though."
Morgan: "Very well, gentlemen. I'd ask you if you'd like to stay and enjoy the show, but it sounds like you have more pressing business to attend to. A good day to you." He tips his hat to you and heads back inside.
Zane: "After we break Kell and his organization, I expect you will want to try and fill the void. Don't. That one is also on the house."
Gerald: "Yep. Enjoy your drinks."
Zane: "Enjoy your evening."
Gerald: "Oh wait I gotta ask while I got someone's ear -"
Gerald: "What with the guys and gals in the gaudy suits…?"Morgan stops momentarily, turning around slightly.
Morgan: "Oh, the seersucker suits? Not quite to my taste, but the sashes? Ugh. That will never last."
Gerald: "Is that like… rich people fashion right now?"
Ernst: "… unfortunately."
Morgan: "Someone's trying to promote it as that, at least."
Gerald: "Weird. Anyway, pleasent evenin'!"
Morgan: "Good evening."Zane tips his hat, debates shivving him in the spine. Decides hell wait until Phyllis is around to enjoy the show.
Aleith|DM: You get word of a couple of things when you head back.
Aleith|DM: 1: Klim has located at least several dockers that are being paid to quietly offload a ship at a certain berth in Golden Point 'late tonight' with an unspecified time other than 'probably before midnight'.
Aleith|DM: 2: Harkover Lee made some time to examine the body and was able to dispel the curse affecting the boy and therefore the whole district.